Easy Granola Made Your Way - Simple Saturday

What do you take on a plane to eat? I'm taking this Easy Granola.

Easy Granola Made Your Way

Those early morning flights are the hardest to prepare for, I think. I can easily end up eating an oily muffin (for three times it's worth) from a glass case with a faux French name in the airport, if I'm not careful. Also, I'm a "muncher", it soothes my nerves and gives me something to do for the hours I have to remain in one seat with my knees touching the back of another seat. If I don't prepare for that, it turns into me buying a turbo size bag of peanut M&Ms just because they're close to the water I have to buy after I'm past the security check point. So, this time I'm ready to go. I have a bag of this Granola and I can't wait to munch. I've made this (or these granola bars) each time using whatever I have in the cupboard or feel like mixing in. It's always so good, crunchy and filling. I don't use processed sugar for this, but if you don't like or have maple syrup, brown rice syrup or honey - you can try brown sugar instead. RECIPE: Easy Granola Made Your Way

2 1/2 cups oats
1 1/2 cup sweetener (I used 1/2 cup maple syrup and 1 cup brown rice syrup)
Few pinches of seasoning (I used pinch cinnamon, pinch fresh grated nutmeg, pinch of salt, and 1 teaspoon vanilla)
1 1/2 - 2 cups crunch (I used 1/2 cup toasted almonds, 1/2 cup toasted pecans, 3/4 cup toasted coconut and a handful of toasted pepitas)
1 cup dried fruit (I used cherries, apricots and raisins)

1) Heat your sweetener in a saucepan with any liquid flavoring (such as vanilla, almond, coconut, etc.) til it boils, stir and remove from heat.

2) In a large bowl stir all dry ingredients together (except dry fruits), then stir in warm syrup. 3) Spread granola out on a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet and bake at 350F for about 20-30 minutes, stirring in the pan once or twice through.

4) Remove from oven, stir on pan and allow to cool, then stir in dried fruits before packaging.

This makes great gifts presented in little paper bags, or a healthy bag of munch for traveling. If you keep it sealed well, it will last for weeks.

Nut Milk - I'm Not Kidding

I'm going to blame having a teenager in the house for the fact that I can't say the words, "Nut Milk" without laughing. And I don't mean just in a scatological way, but the sound of it, too. I would expect to read it in a Warner Bros Looney Tunes manual. I would expect "Scrappy the Squirrel" to have Nut Milk. And now, I have a bottle of chilled & creamy Nut Milk in my refrigerator (snicker snicker.)

Almond Nut Milk

Here's the reality: Nut Milk is not only filling, full of fiber, chock full of nutrients - it has a really deep flavor that dairy milk (especially non-fat) is sometimes missing. For almost two years, I've been posting recipes with a very fun online group of friends called "Lets Lunch". What started as an idea for a "virtual lunch" with Cheryl (A Tiger In The Kitchen) and Elise (Cowgirl Chef) who live in two different parts of the world, has turned into a monthly online lunch club (that anyone can join) with people all over the planet.The special thing about today's "Lets Lunch" is that it represents the best of what blogging, tweeting and Face Booking can do: Bring together real people with real feelings for a real moment. One of our very fun and talented "Lets Lunch" buddies is on a restricted, all liquid diet as she successfully recovers from Cancer Surgery. So, this month - we all are posting liquid lunch ideas. It's a virtual way of sending a real message of love and support, while also posting some very cool liquid lunch ideas.

Almond Nut Milk Granita
(see directions for Granita here)

Maybe that's also the reason I can't say "Nut Milk" without laughing. It's the joy. Yeah, I'll admit it. It gives me great joy to think of ways that food and friends can come together for something very real life, using our virtual capabilities. I researched for a while before deciding I wanted to make something a little different (for me) that also introduces a new ingredient idea for other cooking. Even if it's just another way to make Chocolate Milk or a Healthy Smoothy.

Almond Nut Milk, Banana & Honey Smoothy

Join us in wishing a speedy recovery to Karen. Go check out the inventive liquid "Lets Lunch" posts from around the world. Enjoy making and drinking Nut Milk (pause for laughter), knowing that it's healthy, and can be used to replace dairy in baked goods, cereals and for a lot of your cooking liquids.

Almond Nut Milk Cappuccino

There are many different kinds of Nut Milk, including Cashew, Pecan, Pine Nuts and even Macadamia nuts. I tried Almond Milk because I've worked with them before and the taste is full, but with room to add flavorings too. I found the Ratio of nuts to water was about 1 cup of nuts to 3 cups of water, but you can experiment to see how thick or light you'd like it. I didn't add sugar, but I think a touch of Agave, Stevia, Honey or your choice of sugar would taste great.The researched tips suggested always using filtered water, and to keep Nut Milks refrigerated (since they're not pasteurized) for 2-4 days only. RECIPE: ALMOND NUT MILK

1 cup raw organic almonds
3 cups filtered water (heated)
1/2 Vanilla Bean

**Optional: cocoa, lavender, honey, banana, caramel sauce, sweetener.

1) Soak the almonds in filtered water for at least 8-12 hours or overnight. Rinse and drain.
2) In a food processor, add the almonds and pulse til ground, but not into Nut Butter.
3) Split and scrape the vanilla out of the 1/2 vanilla bean (or a tsp vanilla paste) and add to the almonds, along with the heated water.
4) Puree together - taste and check along the way to please your own palate.
5) Strain the Nut Milk through double thickness of cheese cloth or through a Jelly bag. 6) Keep in a clean bottle in the refrigerator for drinking, baking (or my fav: adding chocolate, a banana & a tsp. honey and frothing it into a smoothie, Mmmm)

Join us for the next "Lets Lunch" by typing #letslunch into Twitter or leaving a comment here for me to contact you. We'd love to get to know you, and post together. Sending you sincere wishes for health and happiness and "Nut Milk" giggles.

See all of these fun and thoughtful posts for Lets Lunch:

Peanut Butter-Espresso Smoothie - Cooking in The Fruit Bowl

Miso Bacon Corn Chowder - A Tiger In The Kitchen

Cucumber-Avocado Gazpacho - Cowgirl Chef

Spring Greens Soup with Homemade Baguette - Caitlin Shetterly

Spring Pea & Mint Soup - Hot Curries & Cold Beer

Gazpacho - The Kitchen Trials

Turnip, Chinese Mushroom & Pork Soup - Be a Wok Star

Buttermilk Bark - Simple Saturday

Do you collect recipes? Here's one I've had for many years. I think I tore it out of an old magazine just because of the name, I didn't even like buttermilk at the time. A lot has changed.

Buttermilk Bark

I've given Buttermilk Bark as part of my holiday candy box gifts, and it goes great as a tangy creamy side to chocolate fudge. Confession: sometimes I purposely break some of them too small so I "have" to eat them myself. :D

RECIPE: Buttermilk Bark (adapted recipe)

1 Cup Buttermilk
1 1/2 - 2 cups Sugar (300g)
1 tsp. honey (they called for corn syrup, but honey tastes better)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbls. Butter
pinch of salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup chopped walnuts (toasted is even better)

1) Place a silpat on a baking sheet (or line an 8x8 inch pan w/parchment and spray the paper)

2) In a large saucepan, add buttermilk, sugar, honey, butter, vanilla, and baking soda. Heat on med. to boiling.

3) Cook, stirring, until thick and soft-ball stage (about 235F - takes about 10-15 minutes)

4) Remove from heat, cool for a few minutes, then stir in walnuts and whip briskly for a few moments.

5) Pour onto the silpat (or into the pan) and spread out evenly. Let cool, then break into pieces.

Easy Made Granola Bars - Simple Saturday

There are times when it feels impossible to make healthy choices. It's usually due to lack of time, space, or money: food at the airport costs more than my ticket, car rides with kids being bombarded with fast-food signs = a recipe for frustration, and it's hard to put a plate of whole wheat pasta in my backpack (I've tried.) Here's a good way to combat the "what to eat when I'm traveling/working/need a snack/running around with the kids/want just a nibble/can't get my teenager to sit down long enough/don't want to spend a ton/wish it was homemade/don't have a lot of time" issue.

Easy Made Granola Bars

Sometimes I forget just how easy, inexpensive and fast it is to MAKE my own health bar. Plus, I get to pick my own most loved (or convenient) ingredients and I can vary them according to who I'm sharing them with (allergies, children or adults, etc.) These Easy Made Granola Bars keep really well, especially if you have the time to seal them in bags with a Food Saver kind of device, or just in Ziploc bags in the fridge or freezer. Cut them to the size that works for you, and vary it up as needed. I keep a bag of mini sizes in the fridge for munchies, and more substantial bar sizes are vacuum sealed for my teenager to grab and run.
EASY MADE GRANOLA BARS recipe:

2 cups Rolled Oats (not the instant kind, but quick cook Quaker is fine)
1/3 - 1/2 cup Brown Rice Syrup (or a good quality maple syrup, or honey)
1/4 cup Safflower or Canola oil
1 cup of mixed Goodies*** see choice examples below***
(optional dash of salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamon, or vanilla

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl until just moist. Press hard and compactly into an 8x8 inch baking pan (using plastic over your hand makes this easier).
Bake at 350F for 20 minutes. Let cool completely. Cut into bars or squares as preferred and package as needed (any crumbs and clumps can be sprinkled over yogurt, mmmm.)

**GOODIES**: (recommended to choose 3-4 items to make up a cup of Goodies)

Chopped Nuts (Pecans, Walnuts, Cashews, Almonds, Hazelnuts, etc.)
Chopped or small Dried Fruits (raisins, cranberries, cherries, apricots, figs, etc.) Coconut shredded Seeds (Pumpkin, sunflower, Pepita, flax, sesame, etc.) also: a sprinkle of cocoa nibs, crushed caramel brittle, or freeze dried fruit nibs

Brown Sugar Shortbread - Simple Saturday

I'm not a sugar-pusher, but sometimes a little sugary, sweet, carmelized cookie with nuts is just simply what you need, okay...want. When that urge hits, and you decide to give in to it and you wish it could be fast, but good and homemade with only a handful of ingredients -- these will make your dreams come true.

Brown Sugar Shortbread

I like shapes, so I rolled these out and used cookie cutters, but you can roll out and cut into quick squares or even just press the dough into a pan.

Wanna get fancy? Dip halfway in chocolate. Have a wonderfully Simple Saturday.
RECIPE- BROWN SUGAR SHORTBREAD

1/2 cup butter softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup flour
dash of cinnamon
(*optional, but so recommended: 1/3 cup toasted, chopped pecans)

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy
Stir in flour (and optional nuts)
Roll out between two sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap to about 1/2 inch thickness
Cut shapes out, place on sprayed or parchment or silpat covered baking pan
Bake 15-20 minutes at 325F
(makes about 12, double recipe for more)

These keep well, if no one sees them :D